Tennis racket



April 7, 1925.

TENNIS RACKET Filed April 1'7, 1922.

J. J. CULLINAN nio fiimgl Chadd/z an,

Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

v UNITED STATES PAT JOHN J. CULLINAN, or cnroaeo, rumors.

' TENNIS RACKET.

Application filed A ril 1'7,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, JOHN J. CULLINAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tennis Rackets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tennis rackets, and more especially to a new and novel method of construction for rackets involving no distinct departure from the standard design and general formation thereof, but introducing an improved method of reinforcing and finishing tihe racketvby the use of, gut.

The object of the invention is to provide a superior playing implement by the treatment of the racket frame in a way calculated to increase its strength, its ability to maintain its true shape, and to resist warping, and to otherwise promote those qualities most desired in play.

In the drawings are disclosed the novel features of the invention, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view in elevation of a tennis racket embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the edge of the racket head as taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in longitudinal section through the throat of the racket and in the plane of the single gut strand, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 1-4: of Figure 2.

Referring to the general features of the tennis racket, the accepted principles of construction have been followed; namely, the combination of a relatively light head 1 of oval conformation, and a short stout handle 2, the head consisting of an open frame strung with a net work of tightly drawn and interwoven strings of gut form-- ing' the resilient impact area, or playing surface 4:. The frame 3 is usually formed from a single strip of selected wood bent into shape, with the ends brought together to form the shoulders or portions 3 3 of slightly reversed curvature and the narrow neck portion of throat 5, which is continued into the handle 2, the latter being enlarged by the addition of light wood strips 6 extending lengthwise of the handle and trimmed to provide a firm grip for the 192-2. Serial No. 554,326.

. hand. A'leather strip or collar 7 is applied 1 to the base of the handle to insure the firm grip and prevent the racket from slipping from the hand.

In order to avoid abrupt bends at the throat of the racket, a wedge shaped member or throat piece 8 is inserted atthe junction of the ends-of the frame forming strip 3, these parts being securely joined. together to form an almost unitary structure. The throat piece gives added strength and rein-- forcement at this point, which ordinarily is the weakest point of the racket. Added strength and reinforcement at the throat is provided, at least in the better grade of racket, by the application of a thin strip of wood or fiber 9 along the inner edge of the frame adjacentthe throat. In the ordinary racket, a metal pin or rivet extends transversely through the parts forming the throat for holding the same together, and resisting the inherent and applied forces, tending to separate or split the parts at this point. t

The gut strings 10 are also threaded back and forth through the frame 3 in a standard and approved manner, which need not be described in detail except to point out that the strings extend both lengthwise and. crosswise of the racket head, each string passing outwardly through an oblique hole '11, inclined toward one edge of the frame,

and thence transversely of the outer edge of the frame to another hole 12, positioned 1n staggered relation to the first mentioned hole and through which the string again passes through the frame to form another parallel string. In passing from hole to hole and obliquely of the edge of the frame, the strings lie within grooves, so that they will be protected, with the resultthat the outer edge of the frame presents a zig-zag line of grooves connecting the lines of staggered holes. This, is common practice in racket construction, and yet is objectionable for the reason that the contact of the strings with the wood develops a sawing action that contributes to the premature fracture of the strings. 1

Referring now to the more novel construction of rackets, the frame is provided completely around its outer edge or face with a deep groove 13 substantially as wide as the distance separating the transversely spaced lines of holes 11. and 12. By virtue iii of this circumferential groove, the short the single deep groove at the outer face of the frame. The groove 13 terminates a short distance down the sides of the throat portion connecting with an arrangement of transverse bores or holes through the throat, as Will be presently described.

Located with the groove 13, and surrounding the frame 3, is a string or strand of gut 1 f, considerably larger in diameter or size than the ordinary racket strings, size 3/23 or A This strand is applied to frame prior to the operation of stringing the racket with the gut strings, forming the impact surface, and for reasons that will be presently made manifest.

l he ends of the encircling strands are treated and anchored in the followin manner. At each end of the groove 13, is an oblique hole 15 bored through the throat portion of the racket including the throat piece 8, these holes being offset in different, al though parallel planes, so that they do not intersect, but cross each other at substantialy right angles, coming out on the oppo site side, at a point a short distance below the point where they entered the throat. At each point of exit of the holes, are bored another pair of oblique holes, each in the plane of the upper pair of holes and again crossing each other in different planes, and coming out on opposite sides of the throat still further toward the handle and thereof again the bore is repeated, and a third pair of oblique holes 1?, 17 are provided, the entire throat portion of the racket being thus traversed by a series of Zig-Zag holes. lying in parallel planes, and each hole ar ged at substantialy right angles to the corresponding holes of the other series.

The ends of the strand 'l-l are then threaded through the two series of holes, the same being preferably dipped in hot. glue beforehand. Considerable pull is exerted in the operation in order that the tension on the strand shall be as great as is practical. The ends of the st and emerge from the last pair of holes on oppositesides of the throat, and are then trimmed close to the surface, and finally a hot iron is applied to the end surfaces, or the same otherwise seared, so that integral heads 14 14l are formed due to the swelling of the substance under the effect of the heat. These heads act in the same manner as rivet heads, and serve to prevent the strand ends from pulling out or otherwise yielding longitudinally.

At this point of the operation the strand 14, tightly surrounds the head, and its ends are firmly anchored in the throat. The stringing of the gut strings is now carried out, it being observed that the h les ll. and 12 through the frame, which have been de hole to an obliquel ac oss, and in contact with reunite strand ii. The

manifest bear roui'ided pt the gut. but

(range the v 'lD-il, and are practicz .1. if not entirely from contact with the "wood of the fr it follows therefore that, by reason of the material as well as tle contour of the strand ll, the reversing tendency is largely obviated and failure in this respect eliminated in the same degree.

Another result of the stringing operation is to be notet. Owing to the r verse curvature of the frame member at the shoulder portions 3 $3 the. strand let necessarily follows a tangent from the commencement of the portion of reverse curvature, to the holes in the throat. as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, these portions of the strand being spaced outwardly from the surface of the frame member and lie exterior to the torresponding portions of the groove 13. In stringing the racket throughout this portion of the frame the several turns of string 10 pass around the strand, not only drawing them inwardly to the groove, but placing an additional tension on the strand sufficient to draw it to the desired degree of tautness.

Some of the advantages of this method of racket construction have been alluded to. llie. encircling strand obviouslv adds considerable strength to the head. maintaining it in true shape and resisting those. in fluences which tend to warn the frame out of shape. The anchoring of the ends of tlie strand in the manner described accomplishes two results. First. it provides a non-yield ing and permanent anchorage for the tightly drawn encircling strand, and further pro vides a reinforcement at the throat of the racket, not only connecting the parts together at this point, but distributes the binding effect through a considerable length, if not entirely throughout the throat. Thus the gut replaces the usual method fastening member, whichis inserted through the throat at a single point.

Other advantages such as more perfect balance, and more workman like appearance are advantages which naturally flow from the departure herein set forth.- Obviously the general features embodying the invention may be variously modified without do parting, from the spirit of the inven i n and the groove as shor-sn in Figure for that reason I do not 'WlSll to be limited except in so far as the invention is specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tennis racket or the like comprising an open frame head adapted to be strung with resilient strings, and a handle spliced with. said frame and a strand of stout gut drawn tigl'itly around said frame and its ends extending transversely through the racket at the junction of the frame and handle and anchored against displacement.

2. A tennis racket or the like comprising a head consisting of an oval frame provided with a circumferential groove, a handle and a throat portion at the junction of the frame and handle and a strand of stout gut encircling said head and lying Within said groove, and its ends passed transversely through said throat portion from opposite sides and securely anchored therein.

3. A tennis racket or the like comprising a head consisting of a frame of fibrous material of oval shape, and a handle formed in part by the end portion of said frame, and a strand of stout gut encircling said head, the ends of said strand being tightly drawn through holes extending transversely through said frame at the junction thereof With said handle and securely anchored therein.

4. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and a throat portion at the junction of said head and handle, and a strand of stout gut extending around said head, and Within a groove formed in the outer face thereof, the end portions of said strand passing transversely through the throat and firmly anchored therein.

5. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and intermediate throat portion, a strand of stout gut extending around said head, and Within a groove formed in the outer face of said head, and terminating on opposite sides of said throat in holes extending transversely through said throat, the end portions of said strand passing through said holes, and anchored there- 1n.

6. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and intermediate throat portion, a strand of stout gut extending around said head and Within a groove formed in the outer face of said head, the end portions of said strand being drawn through separate series of holes bored through said throat portion in zig-zag a1- rangement, and securely anchored therein.

'7. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and intermediate throat portion, a groove extending around the outer face of said head, and terminating adjacent the throat portion, and a series of zig-zag bores extending transversely through said throat, and longitudinally thereof from the extremities of said grooves, and a strand of stout gut passing around said head and lying Within said groove, the end portions thereof being threaded through said bores and securely anchored therein.

8. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and an intermediate throat, and a strand of stout gut threaded through a series of zig-zag bores extending throughout the length of said throat portion, and lying in parallel planes with the corresponding bores of each series arranged substantially at right angles to each other, and heads formed at each extremity of said strand.

9. A tennis racket or the like, comprising a head, a handle and an intermediate throat, and a strand of stout gut having its free end portions threaded through a series of holes bored transversely through said throat from opposite sides thereof, and in zig-zag fashion toward said handle, the extremities of said strand being seared to form head substantially flush with the surfaces of said throat.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of April, A. D., 1922.

JOHN J. CULLINAN. 

